Han Jun-su Sparks KIA Tigers’ Comeback to Force KBO Playoff Game 5
Han Jun-su drove in two as KIA rallied past Samsung 4-2 in KBO playoff Game 4, tying the series 2-2 ahead of Sunday's decider.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
GWANGJU, South Korea — The KIA Tigers kept their Korean Series hopes alive Friday, October 30, rallying for three runs in the seventh inning to beat the Samsung Lions 4-2 in Game 4 of the KBO playoffs. Han Jun-su delivered the go-ahead single as KIA pulled the best-of-five series level at 2-2, setting up a winner-take-all finale.
Han went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, driving in KIA’s first run and then the one that put his team ahead for good. The 27-year-old designated hitter was named the game’s MVP after twice delivering with two outs.
A Seventh-Inning Error Opens the Door
Samsung led 2-1 entering the bottom of the seventh. Third baseman Kim Young-woong’s fielding error allowed Kim Do-yeong to reach second base, and Harold Castro followed with a run-scoring single off Satoshi Miyamori to tie the game.
Kim Sun-bin kept the inning alive with a two-out hit, putting runners at first and third. Facing reliever Lee Jae-hee, Han pulled a forkball past first base to score Castro and give KIA its first lead of the night. Ha Ju-seok added another RBI single to make it 4-2.
The turnaround was especially painful for Samsung after veteran Choi Hyoung-woo had broken a 1-1 tie with a solo homer in the sixth. Ryu Ji-hyuk had opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second before Han’s two-out hit brought KIA level in the fourth.
Pitching Holds the Lead, Game 5 Awaits
KIA starter James Naile allowed one run in five innings, while Samsung’s Chris Paddack worked 5⅓ innings and surrendered one run. Jo Sang-woo earned the win with 1⅔ scoreless innings, and closer Jeon Sang-hyun retired all six batters he faced for a two-inning save.
The comeback played out before a sellout crowd of 18,900 at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field. For Samsung, the missed chance to close out the series means another trip home with everything still at stake.
Game 5 is scheduled for Sunday, November 1, at 2 p.m. Korea Standard Time at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. The winner will advance to the Korean Series against the regular-season champion KT Wiz.
